Principle of Crystallization for industrial biotech applications

Crystallization is the (natural or artificial) process of formation of solid crystals from a uniform solution.

More than 80% of the substances used in pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, agrochemicals, food and cosmetics are isolated or formulated in their solid form.

As the properties of a solid material can dramatically affect the handling throughout the process or the patient/client compliance, monitoring and controlling the isolation of solids for the various applications through crystallization is of paramount interest.

Crystallization is also a chemical solid-liquid separation technique, in which mass transfer of a solute from the liquid solution to a pure solid crystalline phase occurs.

Browse the crystallization processes developed by Novasep Process for pharmaceutical applications
Browse the crystallization processes developed by Novasep Process for industrial biotech applications

 

Crystallization technologies

Draft tube baffle technology:

This type of crystallizer is especially designed for low viscosity product when a narrow crystal size distribution is expected.

Super saturated product is entering into a chamber containing the massecuite (mix of solids and solution). Instantaneously, product crystallizes around the crystals that are already inside the vessel so that the solution reaches the saturation point. Inside the chamber, a stirrer creates a high circulation flow in order to give a good repartition of the crystals in the massecuite.
On the side of the vessel, baffles create a quite zone where a upward flow brings the smallest crystals out of the vessels. They are re-melted and put back in the vessel.

 

Forced circulation crystallization:

The design of such crystallizer is very similar to a forced circulation evaporator. Vertical tubular heat exchanger is only preferred due to the high viscosity of the massecuite.
This type of crystallizer is designed for the crystallization of salts out of effluents.

 

Crystallization plant

A complete crystallization plant includes crystallizer, centrifuge, vacuum group, and condenser. It needs to integrate crystallization technology into a well adapted thermic scheme.

As it is done in evaporation, it is also possible to organize different steps of crystallization in a multiple effect crystallizer, and to combine it with mechanical vapour compression or thermo-compression.

 

 

Crystallization plant with 3 effects in forced circulation and a flash,
+ mechanical vapour compression + thermo-compression

 

Main Industrial biotech Applications for crystallization

• Tagatose : a functional sweetener (naturally occurring monosaccharide ) often found in dairy products. Being very similar in texture but metabolized differently from sucrose ( table sugar ), tagatose has a minimal effect on blood glucose and insulin levels. Tagatose is also approved as a toothfriendly ingredient.
• Citric acid crystallization
• Effluent treatment : treatment of salt high content effluent (raffinate, ion exchange effluent, beet or cane vinasses), of salts out of effluents (sodium chlorate, potassium sulfate and ammonium sulphate) for environmental safety.
• Split of beet vinasses into 4 valuable fractions : betaine; glycerol, solid fertilizer and animal feed product by combination of chromatography technology, evaporation & crystallization.

Browse the crystallization processes developed by Novasep Process for industrial biotech applications.